Laporta says his Barcelona would not match rival contract offers to Messi

 

Barcelona would not attempt to match the offers that Lionel Messi may receive from rival clubs, presidential candidate Joan Laporta has declared.

Laporta was previously president from 2003 to 2010, overseeing the early years of Messi's career at Camp Nou, and is now seeking a further term at the helm.

The Catalan giants were plunged into a financial crisis by the coronavirus pandemic and it has meant pay levels have been closely examined, re-thought and restructured.

Messi is the club's top earner, but as he approaches the end of his contract, which expires in 2021, there are doubts over whether he will renew.

The club's all-time record scorer wanted to leave before the 2020-21 season and may again tell Barcelona he intends to depart, although Laporta dearly wants the Argentine forward to stay.

Laporta says other clubs may have more money to tempt Messi, but they do not have the kinship with the six-time Ballon d'Or winner that would make a split so difficult to bear.

"We will use all our skills to keep Messi with us," Laporta told Radio MARCA.

"Leo is not only focused about money. It will be a good economic proposal, but we will not reach what other clubs can offer.

"I have a very good relationship with Leo. He wants Barcelona. I am convinced that he is looking forward to a proposal from the new president.

"It is going to be based mainly on a competitive squad that can win the Champions League. If I make this proposal, I will fulfil it; I am lucky to have Leo's credibility.

"Now is not the time to talk about Messi, and for that I have to be president."

Inevitably, however, it is Messi's future which is dominating the elections, because of the clamour among supporters for him to re-sign. He has been linked with a host of teams, most recently Paris Saint-Germain.

In January, Messi will be free to negotiate with other clubs. For the elections to fall in the same month is a savage twist, and means each candidate will be expected to have not only a stance on Messi's future, but a stance that appeals to club members and to Messi himself.

It is far from the only matter for each candidate to address, yet it is an unavoidably seismic topic.

As Laporta told the radio station, Cristiano Ronaldo's move from Real Madrid to Juventus was different because he had already played at Sporting CP and Manchester United, but Messi is a one-club player.

"Leo's case is singular. He would be one of the few players like Pele who has only played for one team," Laporta said, setting aside Santos legend Pele's time at the New York Cosmos.

Laporta's campaign took a theatrical turn on Tuesday when he unveiled a giant poster of himself next to Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu home.

The poster features an image of Laporta and bears the caption: "Looking forward to seeing you again."

It was a creative stunt that drew the global attention Laporta craved, and he explained it by saying: "Madrid is an electoral zone and we had to come. It was a nice move, from the point of view of good faith. It has a point of irony, it is nice."